Door assembly



E. T. DZAMBA DOOR ASSEMBLY Feb. 11, 1969 Sheet riginal Filed Dec. 2,1965 Feb. 11, 1969 s. 'r DZAMBA 3,426,480

DOOR AS SEMBLY Feb. 11., 1969 E; T. DZAMBA poon ASSEMBLY Sheet OriginalFiled Dec. 2. 1965 Lawn United States Patent 3,426,480 DOOR ASSEMBLYEdward T. Dzamba, New Milford, N.J., assignor to Westinghouse ElectricCorporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuationof application Ser. No. 511,158, Dec. 2, 1965. This application July 7,1967, Ser. No. 651,947 US. Cl. 49-410 9 Claims Int. Cl. E0511 13/02;B66b 13/08 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A track for guiding rollers isformed by an elongated, elastic member having a U-shaped section. Thismember is snapped on the edge of a header. Lateral guiding for areciprocating panel is provided by a roller assembly which enters anelongated box through a side slot.

This is a continuation of my application, Ser. No. 511,158, filed Dec.2, 1965, and entitled Door Assembly, now abandoned.

This invention relates to the art of movable or slidable doors and hasparticular relationship to slidable doors used in elevator installationsor the like. In this application, invention is described as embodied inthe movable doors of elevator hatches but the principles of thisinvention are also applicable to the doors of elevator cars and thedoors of such cars are Within the scope of this invention.

The doors of elevator hatches are supported from the building structurebounding the elevator shaft. Elevators in modern buildings are operatedfrequently, particularly during the daytime, and the hatch doors arefrequently opened and reclosed. The noise of the opening and reclosingof the door is disturbing to the occupants of the building and it isdesirable that this noise be minimized. -It is an object of thisinvention to provide low-cost apparatus which shall effectively suppressthe noise produced by the opening and reclosing of the hatch doors of anelevator installation.

In accordance with the teachings of the prior art the moving panels ofthe hatch doors of an elevator are suspended on a track of a materialsuch as steel by rollers of, or having a running surface lined with, acomposition which has a tendency to snub the noise of the rollers asthey move along the track, for example, of long-chain polymeric amides(nylon). While the use of hatch doors having panels so suspended hasgiven moderate satisfaction, it has been found that in many cases thenoise is not effectively snubbed by the composition rollers and tends toproduce disturbances in the building in which the elevator is installed.In addition, the composition rollers wear and their replacement demandsthat the elevator be out of service for substantial time intervals. Thecomposition roller suspension is also relatively costly.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to overcome theabove-described disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a low-costdoor assembly, including a low-cost door suspension system for the hatchof an elevator or elevator car or the like, in which the suspension ofthe movable panel shall effectively snub the noise of opening andreclosing of the door and shall be of relatively low-cost, readilyreplaceable material and construction.

Another aspect of this invention involves the lower guide of the hatchdoor. The hatch door is guided at its lower end by a gib. In accordancewith the teachings of the prior art, the gib includes an arm below thedoor which slides in a groove in the fluted or ornamented approach inthe floor to the door. The groove is generally parallel to the door andconstitutes an opening in the 3,426,480 Patented Feb. 11, 1969 ICCfloor. This prior art structure has a disadvantage that foreign matteraccumulates in the groove. Partly this matter is deposited from theatmosphere of the building and is injected in the groove by or from theshoes of the people who pass over the fluted approach. At times childreninject paper and chewing gum in the groove. Also passengers entering orleaving a cab may trip in the groove and fall or the heel of a womensshoe may be entrapped in the groove. The operation of the gib and thedoor is accordingly seriously impeded.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the abovedescribeddifiiculties and to provide a slidable door assembly including asuspension system for an elevator hatch 0r elevator car or the likewhich shall not include a track open to the injection of foreign matterand physical hazards as described above.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, an elevator-hatch dooris provided whose movable panel is suspended by a roller from a track ofcomposition such as a long chain polymeric amide (nylon) or the like.The material should preferably be extrudable. The track is in the formof a U-shaped strip which is disposed inverted, Without being bolted orotherwise fastened, on an upwardly projecting edge of the header fromwhich the door is suspended. The composition strip is composed of anelastic material which may be readily snapped onto the upwardlyprojecting edge of the header. When the track is to be replaced theU-shaped composition strip is removed from the upwardly projecting edgeand replaced by another one which may also be snapped on. The strip isresilient and in addition the material of which it is composed has theproperty of absorbing vibrations so that the sounds of the opening andclosing of the door are effectively suppressed. The suspending rollersmay be composed of steel or like low-cost material. The door is thus ofrelatively low cost.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the gib trackinstead of being an open groove in the ornamented approach to theelevator car is of generally boxlike structure having a lateral openingon the side facing the shaft. The gib includes rollers supported on abracket which is bent at right angles permitting the rollers to beinserted into the lateral opening. The rollers engage and run on theinternal side walls of the box. The opening in the box faces theelevator-shaft side of the door so that foreign matter is not injected.into this opening by the shoes of people approaching the car and it isinaccessible to children or mischievous people who might have an impulseto insert chewing gum or paper into the opening and also eliminates thehazards generally associated with a groove or opening in the floor overwhich people may fall or in which they may be caught.

For a better understanding of this invention both as to its organizationand as to its method of operation, together with additional objects andadavntages thereof, reference is made to the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing a sliding door for an elevatorhatchway in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of a hatchway door in accordancewith this invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in the end elevation, contracted, of the door shown inFIGURE 1 with certain parts enlarged for clarity;

FIG. 5 is a view in top elevation showing the ornamented approach to theelevator car and the gib for guiding the lower portion of the door; and

FIG. 6 is a view in front elevation of the ornamented approach to theelevator car shown in FIG. 5.

The apparatus shown in the drawings includes an entrance 11 for ahatchway in an elevator shaft 13 having an opening framed by door-jambsor bucks 15 and the floor and ceiling structures 17 and 19 respectivelyof the room into which the hatchway opens. The opening is closed bymovable panels 21. At their upper ends the panels 21 are movable onrollers 22 on a track 23 and at the lower ends the panels are guided ina track 25 by a gib 27.

The track 23 includes an inverted U-shaped strip 31 of a resilientcomposition which is snapped onto the up wardly projecting edge 33 of aheader 35. The header is formed of sheet steel bent into a form havingthe cross section of a I with a long arm bent from the top of the stem.

The header 35 is supported from the guide rails 41 of the elevator carswhich are in the shaft 13. The support of the header 35 includes abracket 43 formed of heavy, typically /8" diameter, steel rod secured tothe rail 41 at one end to an angle bracket 45 secured to the header 35at the other end.

When the strip 31 is removed from the support 33 the inner distancebetween its legs 51 is smaller than the thickness of the support 33. Thestrip 31 may be snapped into place on the support and in this positionthe support 33 is firmly engaged by the legs of the strip and noadditional securing screws or bolts is required. When the strip 31 is tobe replaced it is slipped from the support 33 and another strip issnapped on.

Each roller 22 is grooved and in its groove rides on the resilientcomposition track 31. Each roller 22 is rotatably supported on aright-angle bracket 61 which is secured to the top of the correspondingpanel 21. Near its lower end each bracket 61 carries a second roller 63which engages the lower part of the adjacent lower face of the support33 and moves along this lower face as the panels 21 are moved and theroller 22 moves along the track 31. The panels 21 are actuated to openand reclose by a steel cable 71 which is typically of A; inch diameterand which engages the brackets 61 and is driven from the opening andreclosing control (not shown) in the car. This cable relates the doorsto each other so that the opening or closing force may be applied onlyone door.

The lower ends of the panels 21 are guided by the track 25 which has theform of an elongated box open at the ends extending along the path alongthe entrance 11. This box 25 is joined by welding or the like to asecond box 81 of like construction which is supported from a bracket 83connected to the floor of the building adjacent the hatch. The track box25 has a slot 91 along its length which faces inwardly towards thehatch. The boxes are covered by the ornamented floor strip 93 whichconstitutes the entrance to the car. Each gib 27 includes a bracket 101secured to a panel 21. The brackets 101 are of generally rectangularform including a reentrant strip 103 which extends into the slot 91 inthe track 25. This reentrant strip carries rotatably a plurality ofrollers 105 and 107 which extend upwardly and engage the inner surfaceof the upper portion of the track 25. The rollers 105 connected to eachbracket which engage one side of the track 25 are staggered with respectto the roller 107 which engages the other side.

The gib 27 consisting of the rollers 105, 107 which engage the innersurface of the track 25 effectively guide the movable panels 21 of thedoor. Since the slot 91 in the track enclosure does not move in avertical direction, foreign matter does not penertate into the slot andthe slot 91 presents no hazard and no difliculty is at any time involvedin operating the door.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed hereinmany modifications thereof are feasible, this invention then is not tobe restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the spirit of theprior art.

I claim:

1. A unit having relatively movable parts and comprising a travelingmeans having a roller mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, atrack assembly including a resilient track of a plastic providing aresilient running surface on which said roller travels, said trackhaving a U-shaped cross-section with the legs of the U extendingdownwardly from the web forming the running surface, a supporting memberhaving an elongated edge removably positioned between thex legs of saidU-shaped cross-section, said elongated edge having a horizontal uppersurface abutting said web, said legs being self-biased to engage firmlythe elongated edge, whereby said track may be slipped from thesupporting member and maybe snapped on the supporting member to be heldfirmly on the edge by the resilience of the track, said track whenremoved from the elongated edge having an. inner distance between saidlegs smaller than the thickness of the elongated edge.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the portion of said edgereceived within said track has a substantially rectangularcross-section.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1 comprising a structure defining a dooropening, said traveling means comprising door panel means slidablebetween open and closed positions relative to said opening and a doorhanger located at the upper end of said door panel means and mountingsaid roller for rotation, said track extending horizontally across theupper end of the door opening to present said running surface facingupwardly for supporting the roller and for guiding the panel meansbetween open and closed positions.

4. A door assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said panel means is ina vertical plane, said track assembly including a header of sheet metalhaving a verticallydisposed web and having a flange extending from thebottom of said web to provide said elongated edge located horizontallyabove the panel means and projecting upwardly in a plane parallel to andspaced from the web, and up-thrust means mounted on said traveling meansbelow said flange for engaging said flange to limit upward movement ofthe traveling means.

5. A unit having relatively movable parts and comprising a travelingmeans having a roller mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, atrack assembly including a resilient track of a plastic providing aresilient running surface on which said roller travels, said trackhaving a U-shaped cross-section with the legs of the U extendingdownwardly from the running surface, a supporting member having anelongated edge removably positioned between the legs of said U-shapedcross-section, said legs being self-biased to engage firmly theelongated edge, whereby said track may be slipped from the supportingmember and may be snapped on the supporting member to be held firmly onthe edge by the resilience of the track, wherein the portion of saidedge received within said track has a substantially rectangularcross-section, a structure defining a door opening, said traveling meanscomprising door panel means slidable between open and closed positionsrelative to said opening and a door hanger located at the upper end ofsaid door panel means and mounting said roller for rotation, said trackextending horizontally across the upper end of the door opening topresent said running surface facing upwardly for supporting the rollerand for guiding the panel means between open and closed positions,wherein said panel means is in a vertical plane, said track assemblyincluding a header of sheet metal having a verticallydisposed web andhaving a flange extending from the bottom of said web to provide saidelongated edge located horizontally above the panel means and projectingupwardly in a plane parallel to and spaced from the web, and up-thrustmeans mounted on said traveling means below said flange for engagingsaid flange to limit upward movement of the traveling means, whereinsaid structure comprises a first floor section having a horizontal floorstrip located beneath the panel means, a second floor section having aposition wherein the floor sections are in the same plane and adjacenteach other, one of said floor sections comprising a vehicle platform andthe other floor section comprising part of the floor of a building, abracket secured to said panel and extending into the space between thefloor sections when such floor sections are in the same plane, rollermeans positioned below the plane of the surface of said first floorsection and mounted on said bracket for rotation about a vertical axis,and horizontally-extending track means for limiting movement of thelast-named roller means transverse to the plane of said panel means,said track means being located below the plane of the surface of saidfirst floor section.

6. A door assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said last-named rollermeans comprises a pair of rollers each disposed for independent rotationabout a vertical axis said track means including a first track engaginga first one of said rollers to limit movement of the panel means in afirst direction transverse to the plane of the panel means, said trackmeans including a second track engaging a second one of said rollers tolimit movement of the panel means in a direction opposite to said firstdirection.

7. A sliding door assembly comprising a structure defining a dooropening, a panel means slidable between open and closed positions acrosssaid opening, said structure comprising a first floor section, ahorizontal floor strip located beneath the panel means and secured tothe floor section, a second floor section having a position ,wlhereinthe floor sections are in the same plane one of said floor sectionscomprising a platform of a vehicle and the other floor sectioncomprising part of the floor of a building, a bracket secured to saidpanel and extending into the space between the floor strip and saidsecond floor section when such floor sections are in the same plane,roller means positioned below the plane of the surface of said floorstrip and mounted on said bracket for rotation about a vertical axis,and horizontally-extending track means secured to said floor strip forlimiting movement of the last-named roller means transverse to the planeof said panel means, said track means being located below the plane ofthe surface of said floor strip.

8. A door assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein said roller meanscomprises a pair of rollers each disposed for independent rotation abouta vertical axis said track means including a first track engaging afirst one of said rollers to limit movement of the panel means in afirst direction transverse to the plane of the panel means, said trackmeans including a second track engaging a second one of said rollers tolimit movement of the panel means in a direction opposite to said firstdirection, said vehicle comprising an elevator car movable in a shaft,said panel means separating the interior of the elevator car from thespace outside of the car through which a prospective passengerapproaches the car, said bracket being on the shaft side of said panelmeans.

9. A door assembly as claimed. in claim 8 wherein said track meanscomprises an elongated first box having one vertical side providing saidfirst track and having a second vertical side providing said. secondtrack, a second elongated box positioned along side the first box andsecured thereto, the upper faces of said boxes abutting the lower faceof the floor strip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 243,187 6/1881 Wykofi 187-562,638,189 5/1953 Watkins 49412 XR 2,913,046 11/1959 Sharp et a1 49425 XR3,105,272 10/1963 Tucker 49411 3,327,428 6/ 1967 Horton et a1. 49-409 XR3,110,066 11/1963 Ward et a1. 52-469 KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 187-56

